Amusement device



March 7, 1950 H. D. DUNCAN ZA-QQA'YQ AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 24, 1946k 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN OR HAROLD D DUNCAN ATTORNEYS March 7, 195% H.D. DUNCAN AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1946 Hag/k?!INVENTOR HKROLD D DUNCAN a BY v Q I I I 4 fl ATTO R N EY'S Patented Mar.7, i950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements inamusement devices, and more particularly to devices of this characterwherein persons may travel in a carriage along a continuous track.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a sphericalmember supported on the carriage to simulate a bowling ball, and thetrack is constructed to simulate a bowling alley with tenpins positionedtherein and in the path of the ball to be struck thereby as the carriagemoves over the track.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power-operatedcarriage for moving over the track and on which a spherical passengercar is mounted for rotary movement, together with control means operatedby the passengers of the car to swing or rotate the car to simulate aball-rolling movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter of a highly entertaining and amusing nature, and which at thesame time is simple and practical in construction, relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposesfor which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the track with the carriagemounted in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, showing-thecounterbalanced tenpins mounted in position beneath the track in thepath of the spherical car.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view showing the car in position whenstriking the tenpins.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the car.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on a line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the car showing thedrive connection for rotating the same.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional tion, the numeral 5designates the track generally which is composed of a pair of relativelylong runs 6 arranged in spaced relation and having their adjacent endsinterconnected by curved runs to form a track of oval form. The track 5is supported in an elevated position upon posts I in a substantiallyhorizontal plane.

A car designed generally at 8 is mounted for traveling on the rails, thecar including a truck 9 having front and rear pairs of wheels Ill and lI journaled thereon for traveling on the rails.- The wheels arepreferably of flanged construction.

To the inside of each front wheel is secured a bevel gear I2 driven by asimilar gear 13 secured to one end of the shaft l4 of an electric motorl5, one of the motors being mounted at each side of the frame 9.

.A carriage I6 is provided with trunnions l1 projecting outwardly atdiametrically opposite sides and are journaled in bearing brackets l8 atthe sides of the truck 9. The inner ends of the trunnions H arejournaled in bearings l9 in the sides of the car, and secured to eachtrunnion is a bevel gear 20 which is driven by a similar gear 2| securedto the opposite end of the motor shaft M, the gear 20 being constantlydriven during movement of the car 8 on the tracks 6.

Mounted on the inside of the carriage I6 is a control bar 22 having pins23 projecting laterally at each end thereof for slidable movementthrough openings 24 in the sides of the car. The gear 20 is providedwith a pair of arcuate slots 25 and into which the pins 23 are adaptedto enter when pressure is applied to the bar 22 in a direction toproject the pins into the slot. The pins are retracted by means of acoil spring 26 positioned between the bar and the bearing l9.

Accordingly, by the actuation of the bar 22 by an occupant of thecarriage l6 to cause the pins 23 to enter the slot 25, the carriage IEwill b ro tated by the gears 20 and 2| to simulate a rolling movement ofthe ball or carriage 16 along the tracks.

A seat 21 is mounted in the carriage l6 for one or more occupants, and acounterbalancing weight 28 is secured in the car beneath the seat tonormally maintain the seat in an upright position.

The front of the carriage is provided with a hinged door 29 conformingto the curvature of the car and including a glass window 30.

Positioned below the rails 6 at one portion thereof is an upstandingrack 3| in which a plurality of tenpins 32 is pivotally mounted, as in-3 dicated at 33, for vertical swinging movement. The upper ends of thetenpins 32 are disposed in the path of the carriage l6 during itsmovement over the tracks 5.

At one side of the track 5 is constructed a loading platform 34 by meansof which passengers may enter the carriage E6, the passengers beingsecured on the seat 2'1 by straps 34 and the passengers may bracethemselves by a footrest 35 secured in the car; After the passengershave entered the car, the door 29 may be secured against accidentalopening movement by a comventional form of catch 36.

A control switch 31 is mounted on a part of the loading platform 34 forcontrol by an attendant, the switch being connected to a suitable sourceof current 38.

In the operation of the device, after the pas,- sengers have beensecured in position in the carriage 16, the switch 31 is closed, wherebythe motors 15 will be operated to drive the car 8 along the rails 6 ofthe track. As the carriage passes over the tenpins 32, the ball 16 willstrike the tenpins in a manner simulatin the knocking down of the pinsby a bowling ball. The bottoms of the tenpins are counterbalanced orprovided with a weight 39 to return the pins to an upright position.

If desired, the carriage 16 may be rotated on the trunnions H by anoccupant of the car pressing the bar 22 to cause an engagement of thepins 23 in the slots 25 of the gear 20. Accordingly, by operating thecontrol bar 22, the carriage 16 may be completely rotated or may becaused to swing backwardly and forwardly, under control of thepassengers of the car.

It is believed that the details of construction, manner of use andadvantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoingwithout further detailed explanation.

It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of my invention, the same issusceptible of certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described, and the scope of the app-ended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An amusement device comprising a looped track disposed in-ahorizontal plane, said track having a pair of relatively long runsarranged in spaced relation,,curved runs interconnecting the adjacentends of said long runs, a truck mounted for travel along said track, aspherical carriage for receiving an occupant supported on said truckandmounted for rotation about a horizontal axis extending laterally ofthetruck, means for propelling said truck along said track, said meanscomprising a pair of front wheels mountedon said,

truck engaging said track, a pair of rear wheels mounted on said truckengaging said track,.a beveled gear secured to, the inside surface.of'each of-said front wheels, a driving gear operatively engaging eachof said beveled gears, anda motor mounted on eachside of said truckoperatively connected to each of the driving gears to rotate the latter,and means for rotating said carriage about a horizontal axis at the willof the occupant, said last named means comprising a pair of beveledgears secured to opposite sides of said carriage, a second driving gearoperatively connected to each of said motors and in meshing engagementwith the adjacent one of the beveled gears on said carriage, a. clutchmeans disposed inwardly of and spaced'from each'of the beveled gears onsaid carriage and mounted for extensile and contractile movement throughthe adjacent. side of said carriage into and out of locking engagementwith the adjacent one of said carriage beveled gears, and manuallyactuable means disposed within said carriage and operatively connectedto each of said clutch means for effecting the extensile and contractilemovement of the latter.

2. An amusement device comprising a looped track disposed in. ahorizontal plane, said track having a pair of relatively long runsarranged in spaced relation, curved runs interconnectin the adjacentends of said long runs, a truck mounted for travel along said track, aspherical carriage for receiving an occupant supported on said'truck andmountedfor rotation about a horizontal axis extending laterally of thetruck, means for propelling said truck along said track, and means forrotating said carriage about a horizontal axis at the will of theoccupant, said last named means comprising a pair of bevel gears securedto opposite sides of said carriage, a driving gear 0peratively engagingeach of said bevel gears, amotor mounted on each side of said truck andoperatively connected to each of said driving gears to rotate thelatter, a clutch. means disposed inwardly of and spaced from each ofsaid beveled gears and mounted, for extensile and contractile movementthrough the adjacent side of said carriage into and out of lockingengagement with theadjacent beveled gear, andmanually actuable meansdisposed Within said carriage and operatively connectedto each of saidclutch means for effecting the extensile. and contractile movement ofthe latter.

HAROLD D. DUNCAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare oiirecord'in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATWTS Number Name Date 492,882 Adsit et al. Mar. '7, 1893728,246 Kraemer May 19, 1903 815,211 Pattee et al Mar. 13, 1906 995,945Beerhold June. 20, 1911 1,748,210 Custer Feb. 25, 1939 2,135,230Courtney Nov. 1, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 49,262Netherlands Aug. 16, 1940

